Ch.350116. And That’s How Everything…

[Hmm?]

The War God sensed something stirring in one corner of the scorched earth.

He couldn’t believe it.

“Gaaack!”

As he watched Eileen struggling to emerge from the mass of chains, he was overcome with a strange feeling.

What was happening?

[…..]

He had been confident that he’d sealed everything so thoroughly that not even an ant could escape.

Yet somehow….

“Huh?”

But the War God wasn’t careless enough to let a fish slip from his grasp once caught.

In an instant, the iron chains converged and completely bound Eileen’s body.

“Ah, wait!”

With her entire body bound except for her neck, Eileen resembled a caterpillar in a cocoon.

The War God pulled her before him.

“You… how did you survive?”

“…How would I know?”

Eileen was just as bewildered.

She had no explanation except that her luck had been incredibly good.

But the War God was sick of such excuses.

“You don’t know? Then this must also be that bastard’s arrangement.”

That bastard.

Eileen immediately understood who he meant.

However…

‘What exactly is that supposed to mean?’

How could she possibly know what it was or how it worked?

“Eileen!”

From a distance, Iriel called out urgently, and she painfully turned her head in that direction.

At that moment.

‘Huh?’

For some reason, Kael narrowed his eyes and pointed to his mouth with his index finger.

What… is he trying to say?

[But your bad luck ends here.]

Killing a caught fish by binding it in the net was nothing to him.

The War God moved to act immediately.

Or rather, he tried to.

“His grace… reaches every corner, doesn’t it?”

The moment Eileen unconsciously uttered the phrase Kael had been murmuring,

A brilliant white light began to burst from her entire body, enveloping the world.

[Hmm?!]

Moreover, that light…

…began to not only suppress but devour the War God’s immense magical power and overwhelming presence.

The War God was momentarily flustered.

What in the… what kind of…

[…?]

His once nearly limitless body suddenly began to shrink, becoming pathetically small.

Had there ever been such a case before?

No, never!

[This is…]

Could it be?

Through the streaming rays of light, the War God’s eyes fixed on the girl who was the source of the light.

That’s when he saw it.

The girl’s deep blue eyes had turned bright red.

Just that change in eye color had completely transformed her appearance.

Yes, that face… it seemed familiar.

That woman he had so despised.

Though not identical, there was something about her…

‘That damned woman!’

She resembled Lutesia in some striking way.

Wait? Does that mean…?

[You! You’re Elhermina’s child, aren’t you?!]

Whoosh!

By now, the white light had merged with a brilliant golden flame resembling platinum, which began to mercilessly crush the War God’s pitch-black chains and body.

[Kuhurk!]

Holy light.

And the platinum flames formed in conjunction with it were the most potent force in this demon realm and hell.

“Phew!”

Kael, who had just witnessed this scene, let out a sigh that was close to relief.

“……”

Long ago, when he could barely speak,

The mothers had designated Eileen as the eldest daughter and Kael as the second son.

In reality, it was the opposite.

Kael remembered those times clearly.

…Though Eileen seemed to know nothing about it.

‘Whether older brother or younger sister, what does it matter?’

If the mothers had decided so, there must have been reasons for it.

And today, Kael had just confirmed those reasons.

‘I don’t know why he mistook Eileen for the first mother’s child.’

But that very mistake became his downfall.

Strangely enough,

The second mother uniquely never suffered harm from thrown objects or projectiles.

Not only that.

Within the Il-gong mountain range, she was feared by all magical beasts and beast kings, though for different reasons than Mother.

This was because she could unleash vast holy power at any time.

In fact, whenever Kael or Eileen suffered severe injuries during training or actual combat, they would always seek her healing.

‘Yes, Eileen. You might have been capable of this all along.’

But he had learned that in the outside world, those who could use such tremendous holy power were called saints.

And unlike Eileen, Kael had ventured outside to gather such information and facts.

As a result, he vaguely realized that the second mother had been what the world called a saint.

‘……’

Yet despite such aptitude and nature being randomly bestowed rather than inherited,

For some reason, signs of it had begun to appear in Eileen.

But even that was incomplete.

Yet that incompleteness, from this moment on….

‘And that…’

Would become a fatal, decisive blow to their enemy.

He had already figured out where they were.

And that’s why this place was…

The perfect stage where Eileen’s power could be most effective.

‘……’

But this couldn’t be everything.

‘Is there still a role for me to play?’

…Or perhaps.

Kael’s gaze naturally turned toward Iriel nearby.

And simultaneously toward Günter, who lay sprawled not far away.

And finally,

Toward Eileen, who had just broken free from the War God’s bonds and was beginning to push him back.

****

What was this all about?

What kind of situation was this from the beginning?

[Don’t climb up!]

The War God, who had been pushed back one-sidedly,

Quickly changed tactics and sent Eileen flying.

“Aaaah—!”

It was literally a ploy to create distance.

But with just that, the War God’s suppressed magical power swelled uncontrollably.

However.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Günter immediately rushed in to prevent him from regrouping.

After two exchanges, Kael joined in as well, and they began to drive the War God from both sides.

“Take it!”

Kael handed Günter a new sword.

A pitch-black greatsword.

Holding it with both hands, Günter impressively deployed Septentrion to receive, deflect, and neutralize the War God’s overwhelming attacks.

Meanwhile, Kael seized the openings to slash and cut the War God’s bare flesh with his own pitch-black sword.

Slash!

Even the steel-like bare flesh now tore like worn leather.

With his right hand essentially missing the index finger and thumb, his left hand was all he had left intact.

Nevertheless, thanks to the violent chains that surrounded and thrashed around the War God as his magic activated, the two couldn’t simply overwhelm him.

However, as Günter suppressed the War God with surprisingly agile and strange movements, Kael’s movements also became somewhat quicker.

[Hmph!]

But the War God quickly adapted and withstood their assault.

The scratches and wounds that had been appearing on him now began to form on the two attackers.

Moreover, Kael was already fighting in a near-death state, having forced himself to this point.

“You think you can just throw me away like that?!”

Eileen came running from the other side.

These damned creatures—

Despite his urgent state of mind, the War God’s movements became more cautious.

When Eileen finally reached him, he collapsed the ground beneath her.

“Whoa?!”

As Eileen fell into the hole,

The War God unleashed his pent-up power and instantly struck down Günter and Kael.

“Ugh!”

“Kuh!”

At that moment, the War God’s entire body tensed.

What was that?

He reflexively shook himself.

“Huh!”

From there came the pathetic scream of a wretched figure.

[You?]

“Ugh…”

Iriel pointed her sword at him.

The sword appeared to be a masterpiece, extraordinarily sharp and elegant in appearance.

…The problem was that it had been severely bent from the recent impact.

‘This isn’t right!’

Oh my goodness!

Iriel screamed internally.

Moreover, this sword was a national treasure of this country, personally used by her mother.

Though remembered as a holy sword in the world, the real holy sword had been broken and even its replica stolen long ago.

Yet Lutania had never officially acknowledged this, so they had continued to forge new replicas.

And this sword had been consistently used by the great warrior and knight since her ascension to the throne.

When setting out, Aseratt had bestowed this sword upon Iriel.

But…

‘With this… it wasn’t enough.’

The War God approached.

Perhaps finding Iriel’s actions absurd, he walked toward her in anger, each step making the ground tremble. The air rippled, and the surrounding space wavered.

The bright red steam rising from his entire body

Made it immediately difficult for Iriel to breathe.

“Kugh!”

Still, she stubbornly raised her knees that wanted to buckle and tried to grip the bent sword tightly.

Thwack!

But the iron chain lashed out, tearing her grip, and she lost the sword all too easily.

“Ah…”

There was no one to protect her anywhere.

She even tried to draw the dagger attached to the other side of her waist.

Thwack!

That too was struck away by the chains.

The impact seemed to have hit her wrist, causing her face to contort with terrible pain.

“……”

But what did that matter?

When that terrifying being now stood just two steps away, looking down at her as if ready to kill.

[While I can overlook the other vermin, how dare you, with such meager skills, attempt to resist me?]

The War God felt like he would go mad with rage.

Since he had first possessed his legion, there had never been such a disastrous situation.

Especially not after usurping the divine position!

[You must also be that bastard’s child.]

Yes. He would send the others along as companions too, but.

[First, you!]

I’ll liberate you from your meaningless existence!

The War God clenched his intact left hand.

Then he brought it down like a mace!

“?!”

Iriel reflexively raised whatever was in her hand to block the punch.

Crack!

‘Ah….’

The scabbard she had instinctively grabbed shattered.

The War God’s enormous fist, large enough to blot out the sky, fell toward Iriel’s face.

…Is this how I die? In such an inglorious way?

……….

….

……?

“??”

She didn’t die.

Because.

Something unexpected happened.

The broken scabbard.

Its pieces grew together and gripped the War God’s fist on their own.

Not only that.

[Arrrgh!]

That enormous being, who should have been unmoved even if the sky fell, screamed with all his might as if he would collapse from the impact.

What on earth was happening…?

****

-This next part is crucial.

Günter, who had fallen and was struggling to move,

Barely managed to raise his upper body onto his knees when the phantom woman approached and whispered to him.

‘Next?’

-The others can’t do it, but you can make this possible.

Watch carefully.

Iriel was in mortal danger.

Reflexively, he rushed forward and reached the vicinity.

But in the end, Günter couldn’t stop the War God’s violence.

…However.

As the scabbard Iriel had desperately gripped shattered,

Countless branches, like wood and twigs, suddenly began to swell and extend from it.

And somehow, that magnificent being was howling in pain just from touching it.

-Grab it.

Suddenly, one of the many branches appeared before Günter’s eyes.

He reflexively seized it.

Then, as if the branch were alive, it began to push into his grip with its own will.

What formed felt like a long wooden spear or harpoon.

-This is the last chance. If we fail, everyone dies, and if we succeed…

The rest wasn’t said.

By that point, Günter had already advanced toward the War God, using the ability he had received from the Wandering Demon King.

[You—!]

Though the War God roared in fury and tried to strike him with his chain-wrapped arm,

“Even that.”

In an instant, a small verse flowed from the Demon King of Mercy,

The rushing chains suddenly halted, and even the War God’s arm, about to unleash violence, hesitated for a moment.

Finally, a path appeared.

Günter thrust the spear tightly gripped in his right hand with all his might.

Thunk!

The War God’s armor, thought to be impenetrable under any circumstances,

Was pierced effortlessly by the wooden spear, which ran straight through his chest.

[—!!!]

A silent scream.

Wide-open red eyes.

Black smoke leaked from the pitch-black body.

The spear, having penetrated the War God’s body, began to extend branches and twigs again, tearing apart his insides.

[!!!]

Finally.

Boom!

That massive body began to be pushed back as if hanging from a tree.

Eventually, the War God’s knees, unable to bear the weight, fell onto the dead earth that resembled black ash.

[—!]

At that moment, Günter was certain.

This unexpected turn of events had finally ended.

The finale of this crisis that had left everyone battered

Came with the kneeling of the War God, that enormous being who had seemed capable of destroying the world.

****

How did it come to this?

The War God felt an unprecedented helplessness from the branches invading his body.

‘Mistilteinn.’

It was here, after all.

From the moment he allowed this, he was already neither truly alive nor truly dead.

…Originally, he had been bound here because of the demon world tree.

After the tree was damaged, he had somehow managed by forcibly inheriting the title of Demon King.

But even that worsened when that strange Demon King was newly established.

Still… he thought he could at least dispose of that cursed man’s children before moving on.

‘You had prepared even for this.’

The ability to glimpse the future, predict possibilities, and guide them in the desired direction.

Though not a divine power, it could challenge providence depending on how it was used.

And from the moment he obtained it, Kariel’s life must have been a hell worse than hell.

Life and existence became completely meaningless.

He could achieve anything he wanted.

But because of that, everything became empty, fleeting, and meaningless.

It meant his life had become a true puppet of fate.

Yet even the wise and virtuous Kariel keenly felt the constraints of the world.

The more one knew and the deeper one saw,

The more bitter the reality of this world became.

I understood my fate and chose death as the king of villains.

Because the world had created and sent me down for that purpose.

Burn the world.

Yes, if you want, I’ll burn it for you.

But the process will be entirely under my control.

And even the outcome.

‘But.’

You, you, you…

You rejected this path.

Even to the point of killing yourself.

As the wisest person, you made the most foolish and reckless choice.

As a result, what did you have left?

Nothing.

Nothing!

Nothing—!

Then why…

…do you alone have everything?

‘I see.’

Did you win their favor by abandoning everything?

And so.

You inherited the sinful product that Grandeus had harbored.

You tried hard not to fall into that trap afterward.

But it wasn’t nearly enough.

And to think the reason you escaped that trap was merely due to the machinations of the Demon King of Wisdom.

In the end, he became something beyond a Demon King, born from Demon Kings.

Of course, his foundation would be that of a hero and a saint.

Therefore.

He was a strange disorder, an imperfect chaos, forged from the binding of chaos and order, hero and demon king, the demon realm and the middle realm.

[……]

And.

His children inherited some of what their parents possessed.

[……]

Suddenly, the War God wavered.

Elhermina.

What did we promise in our childhood?

The hero…

Yes.

You too…

And I, of course, by your side…

[……]

I cursed the world that made you that way.

So I wanted to burn the world to honor you, to make all living beings honor you.

For a long time, almost eternally, to remember and recall.

I left the deepest and most vast footprint in the world.

So that such a tragic event would never be repeated.

But look.

Hasn’t this world, our world, so thoroughly denied our tragedy and our lives?

‘I.’

Cannot accept it.

I do not forgive the sin that made her that way.

Nor do I forgive myself for failing to protect her.

Therefore.

I deny all results that make those things false.

Resolutely, thoroughly.

I will not tolerate even a fraction of it.

[……]

I wanted to ruminate on that memory to the core, to transcend even death.

And the end is this sorry state.

How ridiculous. How laughable.

What a vile farce this is.

‘The hero…’

Taking your hesitant hand.

And placing a long twig in that hand.

I think I clearly promised back then.

And by your side, or beside you.

Or supporting you from behind.

I promised that, but.

‘El….’

Suddenly, from far away, a girl I once saw smiles brightly and reaches out her hand.

And I…

Walking step by step.

Grab.

I firmly grasped her small, delicate hand.

Swearing never to let go again, under any circumstances.

‘I’m sorry, El.’

I should have protected you long ago.